Behind the Curtain
by Iago96
Summary: HPSS SLASH one shot. Harry is obsessed with a popular new singer but when he goes to the concert he is shocked to discover someone lurking in the shadows singing the song for him. Who is this mysterious singer?


Behind the Curtain

As Harry stood in the line his heart was racing in excitement. He was finally going to see him in real life. He had dreamt of this for weeks. Unable to keep still he gently knocked into his friend as he listened to His latest song on his I-pod. His friend just rolled his eyes at the green eyed man, "I can't believe you actually managed to drag me to this concert. It's you who has the crush on Sirius Black not me! I can't stand the guy or his bloody sappy songs." He complained quietly so that all the fans surrounding them wouldn't decide to kill him.

Harry simply smiled and replied cheekily, "You owed me for setting you up with Seamus. Besides I've been to loads of concerts with you when I hadn't even heard of the band before so quit complaining Draco."

The pale blonde smirked in remembrance of the Irish bombshell Harry had set him up with a few months ago. Oh yeah that was why he was here. Instead of replying Draco stuck his tongue out at his best friend. Harry just laughed at his childishness.

The pretty brunette checked Harry and Draco out as she took their tickets. She was positive that they were gay. It was a well known fact that Sirius Black took as many men to his bed as he did women so his concerts drew in large crowds of gay men as well as straight women. 'Pity,' she thought, 'All the good ones are gay.' They walked past her and she turned her attention to the rest of the impatient people waiting to get in.

They had standing tickets so after having their hands stamped Harry grabbed a hold of his friend and quickly dragged Draco as close to the stage as he could get. The friends ended up at the curtain line on the front row. 'Excellent spot.' Harry noted happily.

It seemed an age before Sirius finally came onstage followed by his band but Harry only had eyes for the lead singer. As he started to sing the first song, one of Harry favourites, he almost swooned. His voice! It called out to Harry and he felt his soul reach out to answer the plea he could hear embedded deep within it. As the song ended Harry saw a stage hand pull back the curtain slightly revealing a figure almost covered by the shadows. Harry half turned his head to look in curiosity for it seemed that the man was holding something. The man took a miniscule step out of the shadows and the bewildered young man moved closer to the curtain to take a better look. Yes, he was holding a microphone. 'What? Is he singing?' He took an inventory: the man was tall, defiantly taller than Harry and probably taller than Sirius Black who was 6ft 3. He had longish black hair to his chin. Harry could see his face clearly now. It was pale, as pale as Draco's easily, and his features were defined, very manly. All in all Harry though the man to be quite handsome in his own way, very like what Harry looked for in a potential boyfriend, but not conventionally handsome. But that was not what drew Harry to him; it was the look on his face as he sang. He felt the words written in the song that much was obvious. It was a song about unrequited love and loneliness. Harry wondered if this man was the writer as well. He glanced back to Sirius Black: the man was dancing around the stage sexily, putting on a show for the audience that's all. 'Does he even see what the lyrics mean?' Harry was stunned. He had only been drawn to the artist because of the way he sang and the lyrics of those songs not how he looked unlike anyone else he knew and now it seemed that he didn't even sing the damn songs himself never mind write them like he claimed. Harry was disgusted. Taking Draco by the arm he pulled him past the crowds. He had to get away. He couldn't stand to be in there any longer.

When they got outside Draco finally got Harry to answer his question, "What are you doing? Why did we leave?"

"He isn't the one singing, Drake! I saw a man behind the curtain singing it for him. I checked! His lips were slightly out of sync; impossible to notice unless you knew what you were looking for." Harry told him angrily, emerald eyes blazing with a fire the subdued man rarely showed. "He's cheating everyone!"

"Oh Harry. I'm so sorry." Draco knew how many times Harry had been let down by people he trusted. Music had become his only escape and lifeline. He played several instruments but loved song lyrics because of their power to express emotion. Now to discover that the artist he had so admired was a fake was heartbreaking for the green-eyed beauty. "What about the man?"

"He was very handsome, not in the traditionally sense but still handsome. Oh Draco you should have seen his face – he felt what he was singing so much it almost hurt to watch him. I wish I could meet him." The disillusioned man sighed.

Draco thought about it for a second. Then he got an idea, "Let's go around to the back exit. He's bound to come out that way sooner or later isn't he?"

"Draco you're a genius!" Harry kissed his friend on the cheek chastely.

After a few minutes of searching they found the back door, it seemed that the door they had used was very close to the stage exit. There was no one at the door so they sat on the wall opposite to wait. The concert was barely a quarter through.

A slow two hours passed before the door opened. It was the mysterious singer. The man caught sight of the two young men, sighed, and called out to them, "Sirius Black will not be leaving this way. Nor will he be leaving for some time. If you're waiting for him then you're wasting your time."

Yes, that was the voice that called out to him. Whenever he had heard Sirius Black speak on chat shows his voice had always seemed to miss something that it possessed when singing. It was still a nice voice but it lacked the molten chocolate and pure sex quality it had when he sang. Now Harry knew why. It was someone else's voice; A completely different voice. He slid off the wall and walked over to the doorway, "I'm not waiting for him. I was waiting for you. I saw you tonight behind the curtain." He ended as he reached the raven-haired man. Up close the man seemed even taller. At only 5ft 10 himself Harry felt like a shrimp.

Harry could feel that he had shocked the man though his face gave nothing away. A few seconds passed and then, "You must have been mistaken. Sirius Black is the lead singer of The Order." He replied firmly.

The green-eyed man shook his head, "I don't think so. I saw you singing into that microphone, singing his lines. They are also your songs unless I am mistaken?" He received a stunned nod in answer, "I have no wish to expose your role. I simply wanted to speak to you. Your voice, your songs touched me like nothing ever has before." He explained emotionally.

A voice calling something distracted the mysterious singer from making a comment. With a nervous look on his face he stepped out of the doorway into the alley and shut the door firmly behind him. He glanced from Harry to Draco and back again. The blonde got off the wall and crossed the alley to the two dark-haired men. He noted in amusement that the men seemed to have similar taste in clothing. Both were wearing jeans and a shirt. Harry's was green to match his eyes and the unnamed singer's was blood red.

"This is Draco Malfoy. Drake, this is…" Harry trailed off in the introduction suddenly realising that he still didn't know the man's name.

The taller man laughed, a rich sound that made Harry tingle all over, "Severus Snape.

"Nice to meet you Severus. My name is Harry Potter."

"Hello Harry. Hello Draco. It's nice to meet you too." Severus greeted the two younger men. "I've never been seen by anyone before." He mentioned offhandedly.

"You have an amazing voice. Why isn't it you up on that stage?" Harry asked earnestly.

"I was informed that my appearance was not conductive to selling albums. Sirius Black was chosen to perform my songs for his looks. Thought it became apparent from the first moment he began to sing that he would never actually sing them. I was asked to ghost-sing in the background while Black performed. It works quite well if you don't count the fact that the man is a complete arsehole." Severus stated sarcastically. 'Why am I telling him this? I have never told anyone this!' He thought in confusion but the only conclusion he could reach was that it felt right. He felt connected to Harry like he had never felt before in his life.

Draco looked at Harry triumphantly, "I told you the man was an arsehole."

"You know fully well that I loved his voice, not the man. I distinctly recall saying that anyone who sung like that was different to everyone else. I guess this proved me right." Harry counted easily. He had gone through this with Draco many times.

"Fine. Anyway I think I'll be off. You staying Harry?" He asked the shorter man innocently although Harry knew that it was most definitely not an innocent question.

He nodded, blushing furiously Severus noted absently that he looked rather adorable like that, "See you later, Drake."

"I'll see you tomorrow then. Don't do anything I wouldn't." Draco quipped.

"That still leaves me with a lot of options, Drake." Harry countered with a smirk at the blonde.

After shrugging his shoulders Draco left leaving Harry and Severus alone in the secluded alley.

Harry turned back to Severus and said, "Err…would you like to go grab a coffee? I'd really like to talk to you more."

Severus seemed to consider his offer for a second before reaching a decision, "Why not? I just have to grab my stuff. Want to come with me or wait here?"

"I'll come with you. Never been backstage before." He said happily.

Severus took the awestruck fan backstage; they passed lots of different people on their way to Severus' room. As each one passed Severus whispered their name and job to Harry as well as a little comment on their character. For example, close to Sirius' dressing room the couple passed a tawny haired man talking hurriedly on a phone. Severus bent down very close so Harry could feel the hot breath on his neck and whispered, "That's Remus Lupin, Black's sometime lover, and manager. Poor guy. He honestly isn't that bad. The worst thing I can say about him is that he loves Black."

Harry smothered his laughter at Severus' dry tone but internally felt sorry for the man. He knew what unrequited love felt like but when you were in love with such a public figure, their every conquest was published in the paper and no doubt seen by Remus.

Severus grabbed his coat and mobile phone from his room, "Alright. Let's go."

As they walked out of the door into the corridor Harry bumped into another dark haired man. Only Severus' arms grabbing him prevented him from falling onto the floor.

"Thanks." He murmured to Severus but it appeared that his date hadn't heard him. He was busy glaring at the man in front of Harry. Glancing up at the taller man Harry suddenly understood why; it was Sirius Black.

"Well, well, well, who have we got here? Who is this beauty Snape and why on Earth is he with you?" Black's infamous voice asked in a drawl.

Harry answered the man's queries himself, "I'm Harry Potter and Severus and I are leaving thank you. Goodnight." He attempted to step past the lead singer of The Order but Sirius moved to stop his escape.

Sirius laughed, "Oh no. You're not getting away so easily. Whatever you're getting from Snivellus you can get better from me I assure you. Someone like you shouldn't be with such an ugly git. You deserve better."

Harry stopped trying to get past him. He looked into his eyes with a raised eyebrow, "What like you, you mean? I don't think so. Now if you'll excuse me." He grabbed the 6ft 5 man by the arm and yanked hard. Severus seemed to take the hint and followed him silently. He didn't speak until they reached the exit and had left the building.

Harry still had a hold of his arm he noted absently, "You're still here." He murmured.

Luckily Harry heard and frowned in confusion, "What do you mean? Of course I'm still here. I said I wanted to get to know you better. Unless you've changed your mind?"

His companion's head shook violently. Harry smiled. He had a feeling that Severus had expected him to accept Sirius Black's offer and was stunned that he hadn't. Deciding that light heartedness might be the best option Harry joked, "Damn Draco was right. The guy is an arsehole. I don't think we should tell him though. He's unbearable when he's right."

That seemed to snap the singer/songwriter out of his stupor. He smiled shyly at his shorter companion. "Shall we go for that coffee?" He asked. His voice, as usual, sending shivers down Harry's spine.

"Definitely." Harry agreed and took the other man's hand as they set off for the café.

Later that night Harry awoke to someone lazily drawing patterns on his chest. Turning his head he saw his lover and smiled sleepily.

"Any regrets?" Severus asked when he saw that Harry was awake.

"None." Harry replied honestly and leaned in for a kiss which Severus was happy to give.

When they broke apart Harry asked the same question with a light in his eyes which showed that he was joking.

Severus answered anyway, "No. You were the only person who ever saw behind the curtain."


End file.
